The Michael Roy Singers
Arrangements by MR
The Michael Roy Singers came into existence at The First Unit. Methodist Church of South Miami, on the edge of the Univ. of Miami campus in Coral Gables. Michael Roy was a grad student in theory/composition at the music school, and also artist-in-residence at the church. One day early in 1970, Jan came forward to join the church, and MR first spied her from the choir loft, and that started just about everything, including the first vocal group. Jan, it turned out, is a excellent alto singer, a trained musician, and played trumpet and piano. The first large concerts were at this church, one of the finest acoustic chambers in So. Florida. By 1972, the vocal group was well-known in the area, and worked professionally as concertizers and studio singers. Connie Clement, their great lead singer, joined them in '74, and the vocal group gave concerts to sizable audiences all through the '70's.
Good King Wenceslas: This is a cut from one of the Michael Roy Singers Christmas albums. In concert, the singers numbered four or five; only three singers were on this album:
Connie, Jan and Michael Roy. MR overdubbed the men's vocal parts, guitar, elec. bass and woodwinds. The organ was played by Bruce Oelker.
Ivory Palaces: A live in-concert a cappella rendition of the old gospel tune considered to be an advent song, but also used for general purposes. Jan sings the solo.
One Is For the Christchild (music arr. & comp. MR; Pub. Sam Fox Music): This is the title song for the Christmas album. Hear the RCC Choir perform this song (Christmas Choral Works on
the RCC Choir page). This live and in-concert version has piano added to the guitar and drums.
The choir & piano version---->
Jan Michael Roy Connie
The
Michael Roy Singers
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Both Sherry Overholt and Connie Clement were lead singers, and by this time, we were doing concerts with Connie leading the vocal group, and Sherry providing special solos. Bruce was our organist (on the Hammond B2), and Dan Gettinger was our tenor. Dan was also a concert pianist who regularly accompanied for South FL productions in opera and musical theater.
In this photo, for reasons not especially clear in this latter day, Jan dons a wig and MR sports a "Mamas and Papas" crocheted vest. Tenor, Mike Barry, sits below, and bass player, Danny Chicherski, peers over the concert sign.
Both Sherry Overholt and Connie Clement were lead singers, and by this time, we were doing concerts with Connie leading the vocal group, and Sherry providing special solos. Bruce was our organist (on the Hammond B2), and Dan Gettinger was our tenor. Dan was also a concert pianist who regularly accompanied for South FL productions in opera and musical theater.
How Great Thou Art: Another live cut from the '70's concerts. MR sings the solo and plays guitar; the background
vocals are Sherry Overholt, Jan, and Dan Gettinger. Bruce Oelker plays the Hammond B2. Sherry, Bruce (sunglasses), and Dan are seen in the slide show.
De Glorious a-Kingdom: a trad. Caribbean carol from the Christmas album. Connie, Jan and Michael Roy sing; MR plays guitars & bass.
Beautiful City: The New Christy Minstrels sang this one back in the '60's, and a decade later MR arranged it for the Singers and added another verse to the lyrics.
A-Soalin': This guitar-intensive carol was made known by Peter, Paul & Mary during the golden age of folk. This rather
complex arrangement has a quodlibet written into the last verse; the four different tunes sounding simultaneously are: both the verse and refrain melodies of "A-Soalin' "; "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen"; and "Masters In This Hall," a 16th. c. Eng. carol.
"A-soalin'" was a 17th c. custom in England in which homeless street urchins would go door-to-door a few days before Christmas asking for food, including soal cakes - a simple pastry. The quodlibet echos the different sets of orphans on the street, each singing a carol in order to entice homeowners to give them something from "the barrel in the cellar." The waifs would also accept a penny or even a ha' penny.
Good Christian Men, Rejoice: sung live and a cappella in concert, and later digitally remastered in the studio. The singers are Connie Clement, lead; Jan, alto; Gary Fry, tenor; and Michael Roy, bass-baritone.
In the Bleak Midwinter: From a 19th c. poem, the tune is credited to Gustav Holst (1906).
Here We Come a-Caroling: An ancient carol, but arr. here in modern harmonies. The 6/8 rhythmnic figures have been smoothed out to 4/4, and new verses written my MR.
I Head About That Land: A song written and sung here in-concert by MR; it's worth a listen if only to hear the funky folk-rock
organ skills of Bruce Oelker. It's one of the delineating sounds of the '70's, and Bruce does everything on the Hammond B-2 you would expect of an expert on the instrument and in the idiom.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas: From a MR Singers "Great Christmas Concert - 1975: fast-paced and fun.
Jingle Bells: One of the toughest challenges for an arranger is to come up with fresh ideas for a well-worn song that
has passed into standard singalong fare. Here's MR's best try at it. The guitar and background vocals help the task.
Two early concerts of the Michael Roy Singers
performed at the First Unit. Methodist Church of South Miami.
Where it all began-------->
Go Tell it on th' Mountain: The Michael Roy Singers were a pro vocal group performing through the '70's. Every long
journey has a beginning and that was in 1970, with Glenda Curry and Bob Cupp, who were the soprano and tenor to Jan's and MR's alto and bass-bari. This quartet was the genesis of the Singers and deserves a hearty mention in the history of MR's career. 1970 was a banner year: Michael Roy met Jan, and soon after, the first vocal group came into being. Listen to a historic recording of this first quartet singing a quite difficult and rangy setting of this folk carol. The sole accompaniment is MR on his Martin guitar.
Bob Cupp went on before us in August, 2017. May he rest in peace. Glenda lives in northern Georgia to this day.
Bob, Glenda, Jan and Michael -
...In the beginning...
Eternal Father Strong to Save: Here is Glenda, Bob, Jan and Michael Roy singing the beloved hymn with four overdubs of the quartet of parts to achieve a broad stereo spectrum. This was studio fun, but it is also one of the great hymns of the Christian faith; it is called the Navy Hymn.
Good Christian Men, Rejoice:The original quartet sings this arr. by MR in good form, with it's rangy modulations a full step up between verses. This same arragement was sung by the Michael Roy Singers a few years later, but with Connie Clement Baker singing lead, and another tenor in tow (Gary Frye). The two reditions
differ, but both have their moments: trying to compare Glenda and Connie is an apple and orange situation. Glenda was a lyric soprano, and had a master's degree in piano performance (plus she had perfect pitch, which irritated all of us!). Connie was a professional lead singer (and used to sing alto in mixed choral groups), and she was simply the best lead singer in the nation. By the way: the other version with Connie leading is on this same page above.
Stand By Me - (arr. MR) This performance is from the first "Great Easter Concert"(1970), by the original Michael Roy Singers: Glenda Currey, sop. Jan, alto; Bob Cupp (RIP), tenor, and MR, bass-baritone and guitarist. This huge audience is in the (now defunct) First Unit. Methodist Church of South Miami. The organ you hear in the background is a huge electronic Allen organ. Even slightly over-ambient, it is listenable.
Which Side of the Cross (Are You)? - (arr. MR) This is also from that "Great Easter Concert." Bob and Glenda were stellar vocalists which made singing small vocal group songs like this very pleasing.
As it Fell Upon a Night - This historic recording, though a tad ratty, nevertheless, shows Glenda playing the complex piano score to this anthem, while simultaneously singing the soprano part. Jan Bob and MR sing the alto, tenor and bass parts, and the whole thing is recorded on the spot.